Man charged over meth haul refused bail despite father’s offer to sell house

A second Kerry man charged over Ireland’s biggest ever crystal meth haul has been refused bail by the High Court, despite his father offering to sell a house to raise €200,000 to secure his release.

James Leen (41) remained in custody yesterday after Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring ruled he was a flight risk and said there was evidence that “unidentified others” had financed his “extensive” international travels over the last two years.

The father of three had sought bail but gardaí objected, alleging he was a “logistics figure” in the importation of €32.8m worth of methylamphetamine discovered in a container in the port of Cork in February. His co-accused Nathan McDonnell (43), a former garden centre CEO, was refused bail last month.

It is alleged more than 500kg of the drug was hidden in a recycling machine imported from Mexico last October and stored at Mr McDonnell’s garden centre in Tralee before being transported to Cork, destined for export to Australia.

Mr Leen from Pilgrim Hill, Kilmorna, Listowel and Mr McDonnell, from Ballyroe, Tralee, are both charged with possession of more than €13,000 of crystal meth for sale or supply.

Mr Leen is also charged with importation of the drug.

At a High Court sitting yesterday, Detective Sergeant Ernie Henderson said the “purported” magnetic separating machine found by customs officers was purpose-built for the “sophisticated concealment” of the drugs, and could not function as it had no wiring.

The crystal meth was in 543 individual one-kilo packets.

The machine had arrived in Cork from Mexico on October 16 and the customs and shipping charges were allegedly paid for by Mr McDonnell. It sat in his garden centre for months before being moved back to Cork port to be exported to Australia, Det Sgt Henderson said.

Gardaí believed Mr Leen was a “logistics figure” in the importation of the machine containing the drugs.

The supporting evidence included mobile phone evidence and CCTV footage. Det Sgt Henderson said messages and conversations on five phones seized at Mr Leen’s address contained evidence of drug importation and trafficking.

The charges each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison and a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, and Det Sgt Henderson said he was concerned that Mr Leen was a flight risk if bailed.

Gardaí believed he had numerous contacts outside the jurisdiction and the means to flee to countries that had no extradition treaties with Ireland.

Mr Leen had travelled extensively to locations including Brazil, Dubai and China. He was the director of five companies in Ireland and the UK, but had not submitted tax returns in the last four years and had not declared any income on his legal aid application.

In cross-examination, barrister Ronan Predergast, for Mr Leen, said the prosecution case was circumstantial and alleged “constructive possession” of the drugs.

Mr Leen said his international trips had been for the legitimate purpose of setting up a travel app business. He flew around the world in his own name and using his own passport, his barrister said.

Mr Prendergast added that while his client was not a homeowner, his family were his ties to this jurisdiction. His father hoped to make €200,000 from the sale of a property which he would offer as a bail surety for his son.

Judge Ring said Mr Leen faced a significant sentence if convicted and she was satisfied there was evidence he would not attend trial if granted bail.

“A man of limited means has carried out extensive travel over the last two years,” she said. “It’s a conundrum how he is legally aided yet able to travel so extensively.”

Whatever the purpose of his travel, the court concluded that it was financed by “the assistance of unidentified others.”

Prosecutors were given more time for the preparation of books of evidence and the cases were adjourned to April 24.